Philosophy

The ancient Greek scholar named Anaximander was the author of the first surviving passage of Western philosophy. He speculated on the origin of the universe and did fundamental work in the fields of astronomy, geography, biology, and philosophy.

Much is made of Galileo's work, but look at some of the surprising origins...

The ancient Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus was believed to be the first philosopher of the Western tradition. His work laid the groundwork for the advancement of philosophy and ultimately the development of the sciences.

The ancient Greek philosopher and scientist Aristotle touched upon nearly every area of the physical world, from biology to astronomy. In the field of human endeavor, his interests and writing varied from ethics to political science.

Zeno's paradox tells the story of a race between the Greek hero Achilles and a tortoise but with a surprising twist. Find out more in this quick article.

Plato has been hailed as one of the most dazzling writers in the Western literary tradition and one of the most influential authors in the history of philosophy. In ancient Athens, Plato established the Academy, the first school of higher education in the Western world.

The ancient philosopher Socrates lived in Athens during the Golden Age of Athens and is credited with laying the philosophical foundations of Western culture. He is known as the “father of Western philosophy” for his contributions.

While a challenging field to get into, phenomenology may offer some insights into the mysterious realm of consciousness.

This article will take a look at the life of Lucretius, the influential Roman philosopher-poet. He was the writer of the classic work "De Rerum Natura," an Epicurean masterpiece.

In Aristotle’s words, "whether we like it or not we have to philosophize. Even if we don’t want to philosophize, we are still philosophizing. Either way, philosophy exists." In this article, we'll take a look at the problem of existence in philosophy.

A look at Lucretius' masterwork "On the Nature of Things" (De Rerum Natura). A philosophical poem.

Epicurus has some interesting things to say on death. We'll look into Ataraxia and Aponia, terms often used in ancient Greek philosophy and in Epicureanism.

Panpsychism, the view that mind is a fundamental component of all reality, is being granted renewed consideration in light of the persisting inability of materialism to account for the emergence of mind from matter.

Here we'll have a look at Epicurean Hedonism, it's not about indulging in all your desires, but a balanced life of simple, moderated pleasures.

After a biography and a general epicurean worldview, we'll now dive into the Principal Doctrines of Epicurus.

The Epicurean worldview is build on a materialistic metaphysics. We'll see an ethics of pleasure rooted in materialism, the practice of limiting desires and eliminating the fear of death.

The life of the Ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus. The often misunderstood exponent of hedonism. Life's pleasures and joy can be easily attained by those with basic wants and limited desires.

This article explores the centuries of dialogic perspectives on Kingship from Plato, Aristotle, and Rushid to Bossuet, Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau. Brandon Riederer is an Adjunct Instructor of English at Bryant & Stratton College. He has a M.A. in English from National University.

The idea of the Way is seemingly universal in world religions. What does that say about our religions' histories, and more importantly, the Way itself?

Life is impossible without emotion. It allows us to express and helps us to enjoy the good times and cope with the bad times, but when our emotions are controlled, expression, psychology, and real healing are thrown out the window. It is a danger, because it prevents reflection and empathy.

Circular reasoning is a logical fallacy that starts and ends with the same thing. Religious and political groups use this strategy frequently, and no one walks away with a better understanding. It is simply a means of shutting down conversation and lacks a desire to truly prove anything.

Many skeptics believe spirituality is merely based on imagination. They fail to realize that spirituality at its deepest and most useful level is based on science. The differences between religions arise out of the lack of understanding the differing metaphors used by each religion.

Blanket judgment and stereotyping lead to poor, unhealthy, and even untrue views of the world around us. The way we see other races, sexes, cultures, and religions is influenced heavily by these awful judgments, and we need to put an end to this horrible way of thinking.

How many of your thoughts are your own? Religion, culture, and politics play a strong role in the controlling of your thoughts. It's a danger, because it prevents you from truly being free.

The persistent inability of materialism to account satisfactorily for origin, nature and role of mind and consciousness in nature suggests that this view of the world may be wrong.

Materialism is the ontology adopted by a majority of intellectuals, for a number of reasons. Analyzing them can help one decide whether they are compelling enough to justify materialism's exalted position.

While interpretations of absurdism are diverse, the fundamental concepts attributed with the discipline make you think. This article offers a detailed perspective on the philosophy of Absurdism.

The ancient philosophy of forbearance in the face of adversity might be a salve that helps us deal with our topsy-turvy world.

Philosophers over the centuries have debated on the concept of whether we have free will or not and fall into one of three categories of determinism, libertarianism, or compatibilism to argue their position whether we have free will or free action or none at all.

Sci-fI has the power to act as a technological lighthouse, illuminating the rocky waters we must avoid – these being the bleak futures depicted in movies. In this, I see Sci-fi as having an entrenched sense of hope hidden behind this pessimism and it is this hope that can stimulate change.

Christianity is the most widely practiced religion of Western culture, while Hinduism holds that position in Eastern culture. Judaism and Islam are the major religions of the Middle East.

Desire has long been the downfall of many a good man. How did the wise men of old tackle it to achieve fulfillment?

"Rick and Morty and Philosophy" is an installment in the deep "and Philosophy" series of books. What can you get out of this book mining an Adult Swim cartoon for wisdom?

This article evaluates the objectivity of the scientific claims

Deception is one of if not the most prevalent tool for maneuvering throughout society. Deception comes in a plethora of forms but is commonly looked down upon as immoral. We should never lie or deceive at all says philosophers like Kant, but I think deception is as a tool is not inherently immoral.

in this article we will look at the next step in Dispensational thought. Progressive Dispensational seeks to respond to the critics.

To most people, the idea of an eternal afterlife in paradise seems incredibly alluring. Who wouldn't want to live forever in bliss? Well, it turns out there are some compelling arguments for why an eternal afterlife, usually the Christian heaven, is not so appealing.

Ways contemporary artists and/or designers challenge the ways that we define and categorize humans

The pervasiveness of violence as the most influential tool throughout human history is undeniable. Given this oft-repeated past, violence would seem to be a basic aspect of human nature. Why, then, is it the object of vast ethical criticism, and can an argument be made in defense of violence?

A subset of humanity that would appear to have a very short life expectancy, claims people can live healthily without food.

Phenomenology is an area of philosophy that is not often talked about but has some interesting things to say regarding the typical dualism of most philosophy. Unfortunately, its primary writers were largely obtuse and incomprehensible to the average person.

This article explores the fundamental relationship between power and the production of historical knowledge according to Michel Foucault and Edward Said.

This ancient and elegant spiritual path is the method for revealing the Creator inside us.

In the late 1950s, two Californian men invented what they called a religion that was based on chaos.

An overview of the categories which were usually identified in ancient Philosophy. Primarily it is a presentation of the ones named by Diogenes Laertius, in his work on the lives of eminent philosophers. Includes brief notes on the work of Thales, Pythagoras, Parmenides and Zeno.

Buddhism and Hinduism are the two well-known philosophies emerged in the Indian sub-continent. Spiritual inquiry in India has never been a systematic progression of a single school of thought. It tolerated experiments and new religious concepts. Nirvana was such a novel idea proposed by Buddha.

One of the most challenging aspects of Plato's philosophy is his Theory of Forms, the idea that non-physical Forms represent the most accurate version of reality.

A specific view at one way an ethical dilemma can be resolved in medicine or nursing.

This article provides an analysis of Plato's theory of the forms, as well as his ideas concerning a "perfect" society.

Is free will a good thing? In the battle between good and evil, St. Augustine, much like Socrates and Plato, argues that free choice of the will is a good thing because right action aligns a man's soul with the eternal and divine.